Apollo 11, LM Eagle and SM Columbia - Finished

Christian Bruer
A project for the 50. Anniversary of the Moon landing kept me busy during the last months. I'd like to display the Apollo 11 Landing Module Eagle and the Service Module Columbia reaching the Moon orbit preparing for the historical landing on 20th Juli 1969 and the first foot steps set on a foreign celestial body one day later.

Dragon's kit from the late 1990's was well researched and contains a lot of fine detail. But it also lacks a lot off fitting problems, so a lot of filling and sanding was required. To display the model, I added square and round brass profiles inside of the CM and LM to make them as stiff as possible to hold them on a basis and to make them easy to handle for displaying at model shows. This is how it looks so far, prior to a first layer of paint.

Cheers, Christian

Bernhard Pethe
Christian, you always have such great things on it. I can still remember the night in front of the TV, with a terribly bad picture. Merry Christmas. 🙂

Christian Bruer
Hello Bernhard, thank you 🙂
I can't remember it, but my parents bought a book about the Nasa Space program. I still have the book still today and read it many times. Merry Christmas and a Happy Nwe Year!

Stefan Schacht
Hallo Chris, i am in. Cheers Stefan

Roberto Rocat
Very nice 👍

Christian Bruer
Thank you Stefan and Roberto 🙂

Christian Bruer
Photo 11 and 12, in flight the surface landing probe were retracted. The kit is missing this topic, so I add three of them made from scratch, using brass rod and styrene.

Cheers, Christian

Dieter Bihlmaier
Hi Christian, I like your display. Good start so far! A 1:32 kit of the LM is on my wishlist for the near future.😢

Christian Bruer
Thank you Dieter. That sounds interesting and a scale 1/32 LM is a huge model.

Stefan Fraundorfer
What a great idea to build some Apollo 11 equipment for the 50. Anniversary of the moon landing. To build these models is one small step for you, but one giant leap for mankind.

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Stefan. I don't know if is a giant leap for mankind when I'm building this models😉 Well, but if the ones who are interested in have fun with it I'll be happy🙂
Cheers, Christian

Björn Svedberg
Looking great! 👍 Following.

Christian Bruer
Thank you Björn.

Spanjaard
taking some christmas holidays, i almost missed this beauty!, thank go i am still in time 🙂 great job so far Christian (not that i expected anything else😉 )

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much my friend 🙂

Christian Bruer
I have started painting the LM and CSM. I will use Vallejo Metal Colours and start with the gloss black primer. The paint is easy to handle and give an excellent surface. I tried to paint the exhaust nozzles with different shades of exhaust manifold, burnt iron, blue, etc. and I'm really satisfied with the result.

Next step, masking, painting, masking, painting etc. so stay tuned.

Cheers, Christian

Stefan Schacht
Hi Chris, the metal paintwork looks good 👍 Cheers Stefan

Christian Bruer
This need much more time than I have expected. The painting and masking is enormous to get the result I want to achieve. Today I nearly finished one of the landing platforms and airbrushed the second. According to reference photos I modified the CSM's exhaus nozzle. I'm looking forward to finish the landing platform and lunar lander soon. Than I will take a focus to the CSM.

Cheers, Christian

Christian Bruer
Thank you Stefan 🙂

Choppa Nutta
Great build thus far Christian !!
As always 🙂

Following with keen interest as I've just started the Airfix 1/72,
which falls way short of the standard of this lovely looking Dragon kit ! 🙂
Hence my using your awesome build as a reference !! 😄

Like you I have underestimated what it is going to take to make a decent
version of this model as there is much that is missing or not quite right,
such as the window shape, the hatch and much more ...
I get the feeling Airfix put this kit together in a hurry !!

I started it thinking it was going to be a simple build with few parts .. doh !

One thing I am struggling with is decent reference as all the LEM's were slightly
different with mission specific details, the painting guide in the kit is basically non
existent, a simplistic black & white front view and that's it !!
luckily I can use your build as a guide 😄

One thing that has proven handy is that my favourite chocolate,
Green & Blacks Milk Chocolate 35% cocoa,
comes in a thin gold foil which is turning out to be a good starting point for wrapping
up the descent module, not quite the right colour but with a mix of Tamiya's yellow
and red transparent gloss I think I'll be able to get it close enough 🙂

I'm also going to be using some heavy aluminium foil insulation tape painted black for
those dark patch works, will save some time masking and help get that layered effect
you can see in the ref photos, which came as a surprise just how much of a patch work
the real thing was !!

One thing I would like to try and recreate is the enormous amount of buckling some of
the panels underwent due to the heat on the moons surface which was well above boiling
point, apparently..

Anyhow, looking forward to seeing how your build progresses 🙂

[img1]

Dieter Bihlmaier
Hi Choppa, a very good reference is here ---->books.google.de/book..over&redir_esc=y

Christian Bruer
I much appreciate your kind comment and interest Choppa.
Well I have the Airfix kit as well. You're right, there are some inaccuracies with the kit, but keep in mind that it was released in 1970, just short after the Moon landing. I was lucky to get the two Dragon kits last year, but don't ask for the price.
They are quite nice and accurate and represent Columbia and Eagle very good. There are just minor points to modify.
Luckily most of the foil covered surface is already represented on the kit parts. There are only a few areas on Eagle where they missed to add the foil covered structure. But this is easy to modify using filler thinned with plastic glue.
I'm not sure about the colour of the golden foil. On photos shot on the Moon surface it looks golden but with a heavy touch of copper. I tried it, but it does not look nice in scale 1/72 so I paint it over with more gold instead of copper. I paint it over by hand brush the paint heavily diluted so the basic colour shines through. The photos do not show it good enough, but to me it looks really nice.
I can highly recommend "Monnshots" by Piers Bizony and "Apollo VII - XVII" edited by Neil Pearson.

Dieter, thank you for the hint, but you came out late with it 😄

Today I have finished the landing plattform for the second diorama which will represent the Moon landing.

Cheers, Christian

Stephan Ryll
Looking very good Christian 👍

Choppa Nutta
... Cheers for the input Dieter and Christian 🙂
I will look into the books but I do need to be mindful of my budget though,
luckily for me this build will provide an excellent reference resource 😉 😄 😄 😄

I realise Airfix rushed out their kit and probably had very few reference photos to go on so I can forgive them 😉 😄
There a few things I am going to have to let slide like the depth of the face but I think I might be able to get close enough.

Yeah the colour is a tricky one because of the way the made it with layers of transparent gold mylar.
I'm hoping that a few layers of the Tamiya transparent gloss might achieve a similar effect, I've a way to go yet though.

I've seen the price of the Dragon on the database and wow ! £42 !!
but it is a nice looking kit !!
Would have been nice for someone to bring out a 1/24 kit to celebrate the 50th anniversary. one can but hope 🙂

Anyhow, one can't help but wonder if you might tackle the 1/72 Saturn V next ? 😄

Here's a sneak peek of mine thus far, need to spray the inner bit aluminium but the Green & Blacks Chocolate foil seems quite effective even if the colour is a bit bright, the insert pic is with the flash on, was tricky to divide up the bottom into 36 segments and then scribing a circle ...

[img1]

Christian Bruer
Thanky you Stephan 🙂

Nope, not the Saturn V Choppa. When I have finished this I'll go back to ship modelling😉

The foil covered landing platform looks brilliant 👍 You should open an own WIP to share it with us!

Next to the books you find a lot of photos on the NASA web side.
nasa.gov/apollo11-gallery/

Cheers, Christian

Choppa Nutta
Haha well I had to try 😄

Thanks Christian, I'm taking photos as I go and an album will be coming in due course 🙂

Cheers for the link, I will definitely be exploring that !!

Choppa Nutta
Yeah the foil can be fiddly but I did it in four pieces for the bottom a corner at a time, was to bad.
Tricky bit was "unscrunching" the foil without tearing it as it;s quite thin, which is a good thing as when you lay one bit on top of another you can't see the joins 🙂

Christian Bruer
Maybe I will built the old Airfix kit for the 60's Anniversary 🙂

Choppa Nutta
Haha I might build a 1 to 1 garden house version of the LEM for the 60th anniversary 😉 😄

Youtube Video

Christian Bruer
Cool one👍

Christian Bruer
The landing module Eagle and Columbia and service module are nearly done. Some touches here and there, the decals and display are still missing.

Cheers, Christian

Bernhard Schrock
Interessant to see your completely different painting philosophy (compared with my own) which produced an excellent result. Well done Christian!

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Bernhard. I first tried the Vallejo Metal Color and wasn't sure how it will work even the complex masking procedure. But all worked fine so far. I'm pleased you like it 🙂
Cheers, Christian

Choppa Nutta
Great progress Christian ! 🙂

Christian Bruer
Many thx Choppa 🙂

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Lode. I much appreciate your kind comment.
Cheers Christian

Spanjaard
beautiful job Christian!

Christian Bruer
Thank you Spanjaard 🙂
Nearly finished, some Decals and the display base!
More photos when finally done.

Cheers, Christian

Stephan Ryll
Very nice Christian 👍

Christian Bruer
Thank you Stephan. Will you visit this years EME in Lingen?

Cheers, Christian

Stephan Ryll
Hi Christian,
Yes I will be there for the whole weekend
It will be a pleasure to meet you again 🙂

Hanno Kleinecke
Wow Christian, that is examplary in detailing and painting !
The display looks very realstic 👍

Peter Hardy
Absolutely beautiful Christian!

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Peter.

Stefan Schacht
Hi Chris, very nice model and display. I am curious to see it live. Cheers Stefan

Christian Bruer
Thx Stefan. You'll have a chance at Euro Model Expo in Lingen 😉

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Hanno and sorry for my late reply to you very kind comment.

Mike Thomas
Very well done, sir!

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much for your kind comment.

Christian Bruer
Im glad you like it. Thx James🙂

Christian Bruer
The diorama base I will use on shows to present Columbia and Eagle arrived yesterday. The photos are printed on a styrene board and fixed with acrylic gel on the base. The model is held by a square brass profile.
Well, the model is nearly done. I only have to add some decals on the CSM but I'm not sure appying a coat of future before adding the decals?!

Cheers, Christian

Stephan Ryll
But it looks great Christian 👍

Christian Bruer
Thank you Stephan 🙂

Spanjaard
Your skills, craftsmanship, patience and documentation have again produced another masterpiece. An eye catcher! Your idea for display is simply spot on. I simply live it. My hat is off once more Christian!!!

Spanjaard
Future can make the decals adhere better, but it will also take s bit of the shine of the metal, but you probably know it already

Peter Hardy
Love the model AND the display. Well done Master Bruer!

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Spanjaard and Peter. Decals are on now, so I call it done!

Cheers, Christian

Ricardo Reis
Great build! 👍

Daniel Klink
What a cool and impessive Presentation and Build Christian 👍 Just wow

Peter Hardy
And no sharks teeth!

Clifford Keesler
Just beautiful Christian. I have an autographed version of that poster.

Bernhard Pethe
Schöne Arbeit, klasse Präsentation 👍

Spanjaard
Done indeed, what a beauty!

Christian Bruer
Thank you all for your kind comments. I'm looking forward to present it at Euro Model Expo in Lingen Germany at the end of this month. Would be fine to welcome you at our club stand.
Cheers Christian

Daniel Klink
Well deserved Christian 👍 Iam so sorry that i will miss Lingen again this year.
I will have to do some business in Scotland that week and weekend.
Is there a chance that you will show it in Wilnsdorf?

Alec K
Agree with all the positive praise above: beautiful build and presentation 👍 👍 👍

Christian Bruer
Well Daniel, Scotland sounds great, although you have some business to do you should enjoy the trip! I do not know id I will attend at Siegen. I do not register our Club, but maybe I'll be there with a friend. Time will tell. But definetely the SMC in Veldhoven is on my agenda for this year!

Thank you very much Alec 🙂

Choppa Nutta
Christian, that is one very professional looking display,
great build and finish, all very classy !!

Just one question, when will you be presenting it to the crew ?😉 😄

Christian Bruer
Thank you very much Choppa, I'm glad you like it. Well I think the guys can check it out here at Scalemates. I think they will be welcome😄

Dieter Bihlmaier
Kann mich Choppa nur anschliessen: Richtig Klasse geworden Christian!

Holger Kranich
Jo! Dat kiekt moij ut! 👍

Spanjaard
Looking forward Veldhoven!

Germen V
super , very nice displayed, me like a lot!

Christian Bruer
Thank you all for you interest and very kind comments.
Cheers Christian